Posted on 05/27/2008 3:46:19 PM PDT by byteback
ormer White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan writes in a surprisingly scathing memoir to be published next week that President Bush “veered terribly off course,” was not “open and forthright on Iraq,” and took a “permanent campaign approach” to governing at the expense of candor and competence.
Among the most explosive revelations in the 341-page book, titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington’s Culture of Deception” (Public Affairs, $27.95):
—McClellan charges that Bush relied on “propaganda” to sell the war.
—He says the White House press corps went too easy on the administration.
—He admits that some of his own assertions from the briefing room podium turned out to be “badly misguided.”
—The longtime Bush loyalist also suggests that two top aides held a secret West Wing meeting to get their story straight about the CIA leak case at a time when federal prosecutors were after them – and McClellan was continuing to defend them despite mounting evidence they had not given him the full facts.
—McClellan asserts that the aides — Karl Rove, the president’s senior adviser, and Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the vice president’s chief of staff – “had at best misled” him about their role in the disclosure of former CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity.
A few reporters were offered advance copies of the book, with the restriction that their stories not appear until Sunday, the day before the publication date. Politico declined, and purchased “What Happened” at a Washington bookstore.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Why stop there? Name them all. (Or are there too many to name?)
The cost of instability in that part of the world would still effect our pocketbooks and we would still be paying with our blood.
People forget about the timeline of terrorist attacks even before 9/11.
I know you could understand me.
If your Grandfather was Cuban than you have an idea of what it must be like for people to live under a tyrant.
When I here Democrats support the socialist structure of the Castro regime I get angry just like when I see the cheerleading going on in America by the left for our failure in Iraq.
Iraqi Special forces just did a sweep through the last remaining strongholds in Sadr City Iraq chasing all the bad guys out.
Why are people still invested in our failure when we are on the verge of success?
The disdain towards our President has created a division in this country that states "lets screw our troops and their mission." I say enough is enough and I'm fed up.
Lets give the troops the support and praise they damn well deserve for a job well done and stop crying about money and complaints from the whining pathetic left.
the Yiddish term for McClellan is ‘nebbish’. As in ‘a nothing’ or an insignificant man or one with no substance.
Two things (which have already been covered by many, many others): 1. This doesn’t sound like Scott so that makes me think that the publisher helped ‘craft’ these statements. 2. Nothing released prior to the book hits the stands can be trusted since it is being released by publicists to Bush hating members of the MSM.
I’ll believe Scott said these things when I see them myself. And unless Scott goes out and flacks this book himself and openly attacks Bush, I will continue to presume that his ghostwriter is choosing the adjectives to ensure maximum Bush bashing.
And Scotts mother and brother, who are still involved in Texas GOP politics, are going to have a great time trying to convince their friends that Scott really has become a lefty blogger despite the fact that his press releases sound like they came from HuffPo.com or the DailyKos. I wouldn’t want to be his family in Texas right now since Bush is not hated back home like he is in NY and DC.
His mother has run for every office in TX from mayor of Austin as a Democrat to Gov as a Repub under soooo many different married names. I believe she hasn’t used the same name twice! The only name I remember was Rylander—when she was a crooked state Comptroller.
Karl Rove said “it doesn’t sound like Scott; sounds like a blogger.”
It just amazes me how much cajones it takes for someone as incompetent and poor at their job as Scott McClellan to write a book and make money off of trashing anyone else. I have never seen a more miserable excuse for a press secretary as Mr. McClellan was. m Its no secret that Bush’s presidency went downhil with this guy as his chief spokesman. And he has the nerve to write a book and make a profit when Bush kept him on so long when his performance demanded he be fired? What is this world coming to.
I am also amazed at this administration’s ability to surround itself with snakes and enemies within. Truly breathtaking to watch.
It just amazes me how much cajones it takes for someone as incompetent and poor at their job as Scott McClellan to write a book and make money off of trashing anyone else. I have never seen a more miserable excuse for a press secretary as Mr. McClellan was. m Its no secret that Bush’s presidency went downhil with this guy as his chief spokesman. And he has the nerve to write a book and make a profit when Bush kept him on so long when his performance demanded he be fired? What is this world coming to.
I am also amazed at this administration’s ability to surround itself with snakes and enemies within. Truly breathtaking to watch.
McClellan was President Bush’s press secretary from July 2003 to April 2006. He began working as a gubernatorial spokesman for then-Gov. Bush in early 1999, was traveling press secretary for the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and was chief deputy to Press Secretary Ari Fleischer at the beginning of Bush’s first term.
Sorry, Scott, but Colin Powell beat you to the punch.
this fool should be tried for sedition.
My, what courage that must take, Scott, you backstabbing piece of crap.
+1 big time. The worst ever.
His father is a disbarred attorney. His mother is a political hack masquerading as my state’s comptroller. I’m not a big fan of cliches, but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Bush believes in loyalty to a fault. Rat****s like McClellan have no loyalty.
I agree with what you guys have said about Scott’s incomptence. Bush’s Scottish Terrier could have done a better job.
I loved the way Ari handled Helen Thomas
Bill Moyers, “Minister of Propaganda”
And Harriet Miers was the best available choice for the Supreme Court. Notice a pattern here....?
>>Scott better make a lot of money off this book. No one in their right mind would ever hire him for any job again.
No one in their right mind would have after his performance in the White House.
And Dick Cheney was the most qualified v.p. candidate even though he was in charge of seeking out a v.p. candidate. Suddenly “W” decided Dick was the man. Yes there is a pattern.
From the article this morning in The Dallas Morning Spews:
Former press secretary Scott McClellan bashes Bush in new book
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/052908dnnatmcclellan.38f772ba.html
“The Bush White House made “a decision to turn away from candor and honesty when those qualities were most needed,” a time when the nation was on the brink of war, writes McClellan, a Texan and son of former state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn.”
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Talk about someone with an AGENDA. Looks like McClellan didn’t fall too far from the tree ...
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